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I'm a high school history and geography teacher, and very much interested in what's happening locally in many of our states. I like to pick up on projects/issues/etc. that are very important for states but ones that don't get reported nationally.
For example, in our study of the East Coast and NYC/NJ area, we are looking at the raising of the Bayonne Bridge so that the Panamax ships will be able to fit through them...fitting this into an overall discussion of shipping, trade, and the like. Many students don't know about this, so it works great! Other examples include...
- Energy and the Great Plains states
- Delta smelt in California environmental issue
- ANWR oil debate
Do you have any issues or ongoing projects in your state that would be worth learning about? I would much appreciate it.
Orlando is attempting to compete with other cities with a new rail transit system (SunRail), in hopes of improving infrastructure to entice businesses to move to what is largely a low-wage/service-sector city. Many see it as turning the corner for urbanization of a sprawling low-density suburban city. Others see it as a waste of money due to the perception that Central Floridians are tied to their automobiles, as well as the fact downtown Orlando accounts for a small percentage of the area workforce and is the focal point of the system. The same issue faces a few "New South" cities which are trying to cure sprawl issues with more traditional methods. Many feel there are other solutions and it might be worth discussing alternatives.
The issue Kyle raises is active in some form in almost every major metropolitan area in the country. Given all the environmental reasons for more compact, transit-oriented lifestyles, given the reduced interest of the young in driving, and given the development of so much of the US as car-dependent, how do you/should you change the pattern? California is trying at the state level to encourage more compact development.
A transportation tax measure failed in Atlanta, previous ones have succeeded in Los Angeles which is now building lots of rail, another one is on the ballot this November in LA and in Alameda County in the San Francisco Bay Area. Intercity rail is the long distance versions of this, several Republican governors gave high speed rail funds back to the federal government, California's been gobbling those up and is ready to start building the first section of its network.
One more--an issue in California and probably other arid/semi-arid states. There's a big push to increasethe generation of solar energy through massive installations in the desert. Solar power is obviously a cleaner way to generate energy than coal or other fossil fuel sources, but desert preservations say these arrays wreck the desert and displace and threaten wildlife. Discuss.
This is pretty much relevant to every state that borders a Great Lake (especially Michigan). Basically, human development in the Great Lakes region, like other areas with heavily industrialized areas, hasn't exactly had the best impact over the decades.
The issue Kyle raises is active in some form in almost every major metropolitan area in the country.
Yes, except almost all metro areas at least partially embrace the concept of public transit. This is not the case in Orlando and some other cities. It's worth discussing other alternatives to the common solutions.
St.Louis is currently working on becoming a chinese airplane hub for the united states but missouri will not give any incentive for the chinese to fly here. Other than some major downtown work ( hotels, luxury condos, parks), there is not much going on st.louis
Kansas city is trying to attract jobs to their suburbs and city but people would perfer to live on the kansas side rather than the missouri side. The wine industry of missouri is being built up again after nearly 60 or so years of neglect from prohibition and its helping the economy of mid-missouri a lot.
Not much else i can think of
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